This invention relates to transport protection for cable ends on compression struts of motor vehicles in which the cable ends protrude from hollow piston rods. Such compression struts may be, for example, compression struts with electrically adjustable damping devices.
In such compression struts, the cable ends can become damaged during transport of the compression struts. Such damage is difficult to fix, and requires disassembling the compression strut.
It is therefore an object of the invention to create transport protection which protects the cable ends from damage.
It is suggested in accordance with the invention to provide a pipe section as transport protection on an end of a compression strut from which the cable end protrudes from a hollow piston rod such that the rolled-up cable end is accommodated on the inside of the pipe section. The inside diameter of the pipe section is selected such that it is greater than the outer area of the end region of the piston rod. The end region of the piston rod in common compression struts also comprises a nut, which is used to fasten the piston rod. The pipe section is hence only held by the rolled-up cable end which, upon insertion into the pipe section, tends to relax, and thus generates a clamping effect on the inside wall of the pipe section. It is a particular advantage in this arrangement that the transport protection is held in the very place where it is supposed to unfold so as to effect protection, namely, on the cable end. By contrast, the transport protection is able to move in the end region of the piston rod. In this way, it is possible to leave the transport protection on the compression strut even during assembly of the compression strut to the vehicle body and thus protect the cable end until the compression strut has assumed its final, mounted position. The pipe section can use a corresponding opening in the body, through which the cable end is supposed to be guided, to align itself with the opening. A cover created this way prevents the cable end from extending over edges, corners and protrusions of the compression strut and from becoming squeezed between the edge, corner or protrusion and a transport device and being damaged. Furthermore, seizing the cable end or lifting the compression strut is avoided.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are claimed.
Designing one end region of the pipe section in a tapered fashion, for example, is suggested. The pipe section is then placed on top of the compression strut such that its tapered end points away from the compression strut.
The tapered end forms an insertion aid, which facilitates guidance of the pipe section through the corresponding opening in the vehicle body.
In order to ensure safe guidance of the pipe section during assembly of the compression strut, the pipe section is selected so as to have such a length that at least a portion, for example one centimeter, of the non-tapered region extends through the vehicle body opening in the installed state.
The pipe section is preferably made of cardboard since this material is inexpensive to produce, easy to manipulate and disposable in an environmentally friendly manner.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in greater detail in the figures.